No Me Diga For Real
by InTheHeightsGeek
Summary: This is a story about what I wish was happening backstage at In the Heights show. A basic love story between two characters who shouldn't fall in love.


Disclaimer: I do not own in the Heights nor do I have any rights to it. This is not about the In The Heights show but about what could be happening behind the scenes (with about 96,000 amazing references to the show). This is my first Fan Fiction so please don't criticize to much.

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**Cast of Characters**

Lin Manuel-Miranda (plays Usnavi)  
Mandy Gonzalez - nickname The Beast (plays Nina)  
Olga Merediz (plays Abuela Claudia)  
Christopher Jackson (plays Benny)  
Karen Olivo (plays Vanessa)  
Robin de Jesús (plays Sonny)  
Andréa Burns (plays Daniela)

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Mandy Gonzalez woke up with a yawn smacking the alarm to turn it off. She hoped in the shower, and warmed up her voice for another two show day. Normally she would have just thrown on some sweats and a tee-shirt, but today was special. She put on nice jeans and a v-neck. Checked her appearance: perfect. She walked slowly down the street towards the theater for In the Heights, ready. The show went fine, as always. They were on to their 129th show as a cast so there was never a mishap. Afterwards, she hung around and waited for everyone who was leaving for lunch to go. She knew that Lin Manuel- Miranda would be in his dressing room sleeping in the small bunk above his mirror.

Mandy creeped down the hallway, listening for any noises coming from Lin's direction, She hid behind a wall for a second as the producer hustled out from Lin's dressing room heading the other direction. She walked over, reminded herself to just breathe, and walked in. Lin was lounging around on his bed. He looked in her direction lazily as she walked in and jumped quickly into a sitting position when he saw who it was. "No, its fine, keep on relaxing, you need your rest," she murmured as she climbed the ladder so that she could see eye to eye with Lin. "Hey Mandy... wassup'," He said. Mandy smiled, "I want to ask you something, but I want you to answer not because of our positions in the show, but because of true feelings... but I can't help but ask what a gentleman such as yourself might be doin' tonight?" Lin smiled. Then his eyes popped as he realized what she was actually asking. He sat in stunned silence. "That's okay... I thought so," Mandy sighed as she descended the practically screamed "No!" Mandy turned back in surprise. "I wasn't turning you down, far from it. It was just that... well... the only thing I was doing here was trying to get my spirits up to ask you out." Mandy's smile grew huge. she couldn't help herself so she ran up the ladder and pushed her lips to his. At first he recoiled in surprise and then he leaned in and kissed with all he could. "I'll see you when the sun goes down," he said in parting. She ran out to lunch with Olga and Karen.

There had been mutual agreement that no one should be told yet so that their were no hard feelings when Lin had to make out with Karen in Champagne or when Nina had to make out with Chris in Blackout and Sunrise. They met in secret sometimes at restaurants but mostly at their apartments where they knew that no one would see them together. They knew that this separation from the cast couldn't continue, but they loved it while it lasted. They tasted each others sweet lips often in a silent vow to not leave after sunrise or any other time.

One night after a show Mandy and Lin just 'happened' to be the last ones in the theater. They were scheduled for a date that night so Lin walked over to Mandy's door to wait. After about ten minutes he called "Mandy! Almost ready?"

"Oh! Lin! Are you out there?"

"Yea why?"

"I was having trouble getting this stupid dress off and was wondering if you could help me, the zipper is broken."

Lin opened the door and stepped in. Mandy stood there with her back to him the zipper on the back of the dress undone to around halfway down her beautiful back. She seemed to be struggling with the zipper so he walked up behind her put his hands on hers and gently pushed the zipper down her back. Without thinking he pushed the dress off of her shoulders and let it fall to the ground. She spun around surprised. She looked at him for a moment and he couldn't help but notice the hint of a smile on her face. He leaned over her and kissed her lips as they slowly sank to the floor.

Afterwards they went out to dinner like normal, pretending like nothing had happened. They went to a nice restaurant for once, almost celebrating, although they would never tell each other that. They ordered food and smiled at each other. The kissed a bit as they waited for their food to come in. All of a sudden Lin's eyes widened as he looked to the door. Mandy spun around to see Andréa standing on the doorstep with a stunned look in her eye. Andréa whisked past their table without a word but instead just a content smile. Lin and Mandy stared at each other. "Carajo! We're in trouble," Lin said. "Man, you cuss like Abuela Claudia," Mandy nervously giggled. Lin smiled but they were both intent on trying to figure out how to stop Andréa from telling the whole cast.

The next day, Mandy sprinted from home to get to Andréa's dressing room as quickly as she could. She ran into Andréa's dressing room and slammed the door after her. she sat opposite of Andréa and stared at her madly. "No me diga chica!"

"Listen, don't give me any or that. Just please tell me. What can I say or do that will make you not tell everyone."

"They say he's got quite a big taxi..."

"I would know."

Like that a deal was struck. Or so Mandy thought.

Lin sat in his dressing room waiting anxiously for Nina to send news of how the talk with Andréa had gone. Robin entered with a huge smile creasing his face. "How's the Beast?" Robin questioned

"What do you mean?"

"I think you know what I mean..."

"Wait... how did you know we had sex?"

Robin's eyes widened in disbelief. "I didn't... Andréa just told me that she saw you kissing, none of that. But since we're talking about this now... how was the Beast?"

"Beastly"

"Really?"

"You have no idea"

By the next day the whole cast knew about it all. Every little juicy detail of the relationship was known by all. They only found peace from peering eyes and in each others dressing rooms where they both happened to be at the right place at the right time just a bit more often then normal...

One such time, it was a freezing December day. Mandy had entered Lin's dressing room in between shows only to ask to cancel their walk in the park because it was so freezing. She walked in to see him sleeping peacefully on the small bunk. She shivered in the cold and without thinking slid in silently next to him. He stirred slightly and turned around to face her. His eyes locked on hers as he gently wrapped his arms around her. "It's cold out today" she murmured.

"Do you want to warm up?"

Mandy smiled as his fingers played around the edge of her shirt. She leaned in and kissed him to tell him her answer and he carefully pulled the shirt off and kissed her again and again playing his way down her slim body.

If you don't know, it isn't that uncommon for a actor or actress in a big show to receive a note on their mirror saying something like "Your first grade teacher is coming to the show today" or "Your childhood dentist is here today!" so Mandy wasn't all that surprised to find a note on her mirror. She leaned down to read it. It said "Your fiance is here to see you" Mandy stared at it in confusion. Her fiance? She wasn't engaged. Was this a prank? Was the note given to the wrong person? She decided to go ask her producer if he knew the meaning. She opened the door and gasped in surprise.

The whole cast was standing there. But that wasn't what surprised her. It was Lin on one knee with a jewelry box open and a diamond sparkling inside. She gasped with delight.

"Mandy? Will you marry me?"

"Of course"

He grabbed her hand and slid the ring over her finger smiling at how it shown in the hallway lights. Mandy kissed him and he kissed back.

They were married that May and had their first child the following January. Her name was Nina Miranda. The sweetest baby that ever lived in Washington Heights.


End file.
